Chapter 43

Lauren barely waited for the room to clear before turning on Nicki. “Are you insane?”

Nicki bounced on her toes. “So I maybe got ahead of myself. But it’s not my fault. Stefan has that smirk on his face that I want to rip off him every time he looks my way. I haven’t been so universally disapproved of since Mrs. Matusek in the third grade.”

“Nicki, that’s not what I’m talking about. This is a nonstandard experience if ever I’ve heard of one. What if you...” She pointed at Nicki’s chest. “Collapse or whatever?”

“I won’t,” Nicki scoffed. “I only told you about my situation because we were zip-lining, but before that, you had no idea—none. I’ve never gone into cardiac arrest, and I probably won’t, no matter what my family history.”

Lauren closed her eyes. On the day that Emmaline had met Prince Kristos, the two of them had gone zip-lining in the middle of the O?ros mountains while Fran and Emmaline had toured the royal palace. Before they’d reached the base where they’d begin their expedition, Nicole had measured out a cocktail of beta blockers, which she downed with the practiced ease of someone long used to medication. She’d explained the bare minimum of the risk she took on a daily basis regarding her heart condition and had refused to say anything more.

Lauren had gotten the rest out of Emmaline, and it wasn’t good. It wasn’t bad, hopefully, probably, but Nicki would never know for sure until she consented to get fully tested. Which she was dead set against. And that meant that every time Nicki pushed herself too far, she ran the ultimate risk.

So, of course, she pushed herself too far on an almost daily basis.

“They have to know, right? Stefan and the others. They worked up a file on you.”

“They did.” Nicki grinned. “But my heart data wasn’t in it.”

Lauren narrowed her eyes. “Why not?”

“Because I haven’t been tested for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Not officially.” She waved off Lauren’s glance. “I got the beta blockers due to migraines I had, and I take them because hey, they might keep anything worse at bay. And though I’m sure our families all got a full financial workup once the whole Emmaline thing hit here to make sure none of us needed the royal family’s cash reserves, apparently our medical conditions weren’t considered a potential threat to O?ros national security.”

“But they should know.”

“Why?” Nikki shook her head. “Worst case, I get dizzy and sit down. If it’s worse than that, well, I’ll deal with it. If I can find a way to bring along an AED, I will. But I told you before, I’m fine. I would have collapsed by now if I was going to.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I don’t not know it either.” She shrugged. “It’s kind of a moot point anyway. If the O?ros Powers That Be decide Ari is in the middle of some sort of danger zone or somewhere super public and official, they won’t let me go anywhere near Turkey. They’ll handle it with their brass and flash. But if he’s somewhere kinda remote, you gotta admit I’m great cover.”

“More like you’re a menace.”

“Well, don’t let anyone know about my heart thing, okay?” Nicki’s eyes widened, and she looked more earnest than Lauren had ever seen her. “Promise? If I get the chance to go and do this—it would mean a lot. I can’t go through life half-assed, you know? I need to actually live it, every day, every moment that I have. Promise me you’ll let me try.”

Lauren sighed, her own heart twisting. And, as Nicki said, she was probably fine. Familial cardiomyopathy didn’t necessarily affect everyone in the gene pool. Nicki might have been lucky. She was lucky, Lauren was sure. “Promise,” she whispered. Though it required all her long years of practice to keep the tears at bay.

Nicki’s grin was quick and full. “I don’t care what Emmaline said about you. You’re good people.” She was still laughing as she moved toward the door, and only then did Lauren realize that the door wasn’t closed.

Hadn’t the king shut it when they’d retired from the room? Or Cyril?

As Nicki reached for the door, however, it was pushed open. Dimitri stood there, looking larger than life. He nodded to Nicki and stood aside to let her pass, murmuring something to her that made her laugh.

Then he was in the bedroom again, and this time, he made sure the door was closed. Trapping Lauren in with him, the movement was at once too intimate, almost dangerous.

Suddenly, Lauren’s covers didn’t feel substantial enough. “Is anything wrong?” she asked as he paced toward her. “Is it my parents?”

“No.” He wasn’t thrown by her question. Instead, his attention remained focused on her. “Your parents remain unaware that you’re here. Your other friends are also unaware—I suspect Kristos may have told Emmaline, but not if he’s been overseeing the analysis of Ari’s watch.”

“Oh.” Lauren’s eyes rounded. “Have you spoken to Kristos, then? Is he okay?”

“Of course.” He took another step toward her, then another. “Finding a piece of Ari’s personal effects is a step toward closure, one way or another. It’s only a good thing.”

“Oh. Well, um, good.” She furrowed her brow at him as he finally stopped in front of her bed. “So...what are you doing here?”

“I’m supposed to be here.”

“Dimitri, bodyguard duty is officially over, okay? I’m fine. Everything is fine.”

Suddenly too nervous to stay in the bed, Lauren threw the covers to the side and exited to the far side of the bed, the large piece of furniture now between them. Was Dimitri smiling? She straightened and reached for her robe to cover up her nightshirt.

“Are you cold?” The low rumble of his voice caught her up short. Before she could process what he was doing, he had moved around the bed and all the way to her side. He lifted his hand to press it against her forehead, as if she was a child with the sniffles.

“What? Of course not.”

“Then don’t dress. In fact...” He drew his finger down the neckline of her gown, feeling her heart quicken beneath his hand. “I think you might be overdressed.”

“Um.” Lauren glanced at the still-shut doorway. “What are you doing?”

“This,” he murmured, leaning down to her. With a movement as natural as breathing, she leaned up toward him as well, then caught herself, putting her hand on his chest to stop him.

“Dimitri. Seriously, you don’t need to do this anymore. Your assignment with me is done.”

His laughter rumbled in his chest. “I’m not here on assignment.”

“Sure you are.” She pushed him away. “You’re going to honestly say to me that the queen didn’t send you back here?”

The moment he blinked at her she knew she was right, and a sudden, unreasonable outrage took hold of her. More than that, she couldn’t bear to be in the same room as Dimitri until she figured out what she wanted—what she needed. And she’d never be able to do that with him looming over her. “You know what, I’m tired of being herded around by you people, and I’m tired of hiding. I want to be taken to my parents. Now.”

He scowled. “They’re not awake.”

“Oh, bullshit. Henry’s dead—and even if they don’t know that yet, they know he’s gone missing.” She shook her head. “If you think they’re casually sleeping while that’s hanging over their heads, you’re nuts.”

Dimitri sighed, clearly exasperated—but also clearly distracted, which worked for her. “You should rest,” he said finally. “They can survive until morning.”

“No.” She pulled back from him, equally resolute. “My parents should know. I have to tell them. Now.” She put her hand on his arm when he would have protested. “Please, Dimitri.”

He spoke not another word, simply nodded, then waited for her to dress. He also didn’t speak as they moved through the long corridors, and she got the feeling that he was angry with her, but she couldn’t care about that. Henry was gone. Her sister was safe. She was safe. Dimitri’s job was finished. It was time for her to move on with her life.

Her parents were not only awake, as it happened, they were drinking some of the Crown’s finest tsipouro. When Lauren walked in with her bandaged neck obvious above the tank top sleeve of her shift, they cried out in alarm.

“What happened to you?” her mother managed first, but her father was up on his feet and hustling toward her as well. Both of them looked different. A little desperate, but Lauren accepted their embraces easily enough. It was only when they pulled back that she realized what was strange about them.

Henry. He wasn’t with them, when he’d always been with them, every time she’d seen her parents for the last several years. He’d hung around like a specter for so long, coloring everything he touched, that it was exceptionally strange not to have him at her parents’ side. Strange...and wonderful.

“Mom, Dad,” Lauren said, drawing in a deep breath. “There’s something you need to know.”